BOSTON -- Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney vowed to find a way to bring criminal indictments against Cardinal Bernard Law and his aides for failing to protect children from sexual abuse by priests.
According to a Reuters news report, Romney said Law and top aides were responsible for protecting the priests and should go to jail for their actions.
Romney's remarks followed Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly's report documenting 789 people who say priests and church workers molested them.
The report said Law, who resigned as archbishop last year, bore "ultimate responsibility" for the sexual abuse that occurred during his 18-year tenure.
Reilly's 16-month investigation found "overwhelming evidence" that for years Law and senior officials had direct knowledge of sexual abuse. He said state abuse reporting laws did not include priests until 2002 so he was unable to bring criminal charges against them, according to the news report.
Romney said the people responsible for not protecting children should be punished.
"The conduct which was outlined in the attorney general's report must be illegal," Romney said. "People need to go to jail for what happened here."
He said that although he trusts Reilly's legal judgment, he has asked his chief legal counsel to meet with the attorney generals' office to look into the matter.
